This one's for the DCC, Ken Cox, auk, isotopesope, cynikal, bostontrevor, gilby, hereNT, fixedfiend, turd, the SF collective and everyone who sent a kind note, word and support. Thank you.

It's been a month (yesterday was a month exactly) since I really rode a bike. Since my face and head and brain hit metal grating. My neurosurgeon cleared me and gave me a clean bill of health and a face free of stitches about two weeks ago. I asked him if a helmet would have helped (since that's been debated, as it always does) and he said no. I had a haemorhage and bruising on the brain just above my right eyebrow - an area not usually covered by a helmet. With the way the bridge is, with empty spaces everywhere, the part that does stick out would have just slept into an opening thus still bringing my face flush with the bridge. But that's beside the point. I no longer will never go without a helmet again. While I find it disturbing that this accident and peculiar circumstance mattered no less with or with a helmet, it's better safe than sorry. I have a nice helmet anyway. Now I just wear it all the time.

The only jaunts I've had were around the block on the bike I built for the Girl just recently.

The Pista, which never suited me, never felt right, never was named (a bad sign to me) will be sold. It rests against a wall, a bike fit for someone else.

In the last month, between recuperating and seeings doctors and being very fortunate for the people who all sent a kind word or note my way, I've been building a new ride. I named the frame as soon as I picker her up, "Sophia", she told me.

My birthday was recently and some friends got together collectively and funded a joint birthday present - a dream wheelset.

With all things bike covered for, I went to the one man I trust to build up bikes than any other. Marcus at Yojimbo's. We talked. We discussed and debated the merits of different wheelset combinations. At first it was Paul's. And then I settled on some silver Phil Woods. Can't go wrong there. Marcus almost scored me some Campy Atlanta rims which would have been a stellar feat - but his supplier was wrong. No worries, I decided on the rims I did want, deep v's. As some of you know, I've been pimping the pink Phil Woods for a while - I fell in love with them when I first saw them two months ago. Since the all silver combination was moot, I said, what the hell - let's go pink.

I couldn't sleep last night. I've been dreaming about riding for the last month. Every other night involved a bike. A freedom I didn't quite have. This morning I woke up early despite my body's resistance. I called up Marcus to see if indeed, things were ready. They were.

I arrived at just around 9am and had all my parts with me. The frame and the wheels were there. I built until noon. And she is a joy. She is a freedom.

A huge thanks to Marcus for working with me, quickly, respectfully and with kindness. Salut!






Specs:

Frame: Soma Rush 53cm
BB: Shimano 105
Headset: Cane Creek S2, black
Cranks: Sugino 75 48T
Stem: Cinelli Alter
Bars: Profile Airwing
Seatpost: Miche Supertype 27.2
Saddle: Selle Italia SLR
Wheels: Phil Wood, fixed/fixed laced to Velocity Deep V's.
Cog/lockring: EAI 18T, Phil Wood
Brake: Shimano 105
Tires: Gatorskins 25c

hott!!

welcome back to the land of the fixed dude!

i think i might have to steal that bike.

Sweet bike dude. That's HOT!

Hot damn! You got the pink hubs. I am glad to see that after all the accidents you riding again, this time in higher style. Can't wait to see her in person.

"Jealous" might be one way to put it. "Envious" might be another.

Right on, nice build. Did you paint the altar or find another? Glad to hear you are back on two wheels.

cynikal - someone else happened to score an Alter for me - which arrived the day afters yours did! Thanks again for that. I figured this one, being shorter and in a colour more in tune would be better on this one. However, the red and yellow was chipped in a corner slightly and it seems to be anodized black underneath...

NICE. Man...them hubs are fine



note to self: keep Naz off of grate bridges.

naz, sophia is stellar. i'm glad to hear you are on your way back to recovery and riding. did you ever get your pentabike patch?

take care,
chris

I was wonderiing what the bike wold look like with that stem. I wasn't into the whole the red and yellow thing either.

Damn, that's exactly how I would've built those hubs up. That could've been my wheels. MINE! MINE! That's a beauty of a bike! Glad those hubs found a good home.
she's definitely a Sophia. Mysterious, alluring and built like a brick house just like the Italian screen goddess. so sexy. best of luck.

Yay! Glad you're back on the bike man. Very sweet bike, congrats! I have that same wheelset, with black phils, and love the way they ride, very stiff but crosswinds can be a bit unnerving at times.

That's a beauty.

damn... i'd like to slap that bike on the ass. that seatpost in black and a black stem would make it ueber evil

Josh - thank you for being the one behind me. Your cool, your calm, your collectiveness saved the day (and my arse).

Chris - thanks. I got your letter finally (arrived last Friday - damn USPS) and the patch. The letter was great. Appreciate it.

Cynikal - yeah, I was trying to figure out how best to mate that stem to this frame when the other one came in - though if it is black underneath I may try to strip the paint.

Fixedfiend - the hubs are in your honour and geeklove, the girl who had her Bob jackson stolen - this bike is sort of like a tribute to that one in a way. Sophia Loren was always in my mind.

Judah - thanks, it's an extremely stiff ride, a joy.

I'll tell you all this: not riding fixed in a month and not doing as much activity really kicked my butt on the way home. Regardless, it was a damn good ride.

Glad to hear you took a turn for the better. It's been a rough spring for the Bike Forums FG/SS set.

No doubt. Folks are dropping like flies. East coast, west coast, midwest. Geez!

Abstnr,

I'm very glad that all is well and you're back to normal. I sent you an email a while back but got no response, and was worried that something ill had befallen you worse ala Torrin.

The bike is indeed a Sophia, akin to someone I remember way back. Dark, strong, yet femine and lovely in subtle ways. The bike is beautiful. I've given up on the cinelli stem, but it appears a good look on that bike. The seat post though, is art and I like it. I shall covet it until that item is ready for the Thlyacine.

thats an awesome bike, glad to hear you are doing better, although i never really heard what happened in the first place, but its good to see a fellow rider back on the horse again. i'm somewhat in the same situation, although not nearly as bad. i went down last weekend in a road race, 50mph to the pavement leaves some serious road rash. its true though, when your feeling like ****, and can't do anything, all you think and dream about is riding the bike again. i ended up putting my fixie on a trainer last night and just spinning for a good 45 mins, it was so relaxing to be back in the saddle again. anyways, i've always liked that stem you have, how does it perform? i might try finding one for my new buildup, similar to yours, but IRO, and probably a little lighter on the wallet with the wheelset, and maybe blue or green instead of the pink (nothing against it, it looks awesome).

wow naz that is a very impressive photoshop-job
I knew you had skills, but that sunbeam was impressive.

I won't believe that it is real until I see it in person.

jeff

dcc- check your emails
soupless - check your pm.
everyone else - check it

How is the chainline with the 105 BB and Sugino 75s? My Rush has been begging for a new set of cranks.

Good god man that is hot. Seriously - I just soiled myself.

i can dig it. good to see you well.

Holy hot bike! Naz, I'll break my recent bikeforums silence to say that that is the hottest thing I've seen in a long time. Every... last... detail... is stunning. Can't wait to see it in person. Saturday???